(μ-1,2-Dimeth­oxy­ethane-κ²O:O′)bis­[(1,2-dimeth­oxy­ethane-κ²O,O′)tris­(1,1,1,5,5,5-hexa­fluoro-4-oxopent-2-en-2-olato-κ²O,O′)cerium(III)]

A previous analysis [Fatila et al. (2012). Dalton Trans. 41, 1352–1362] of the title complex, [Ce₂(C₅HF₆O₂)₆(C₄H₁₀O₂)₃], had identified it as Ce(hfac)₃(dme)_1.5 according to the ¹H NMR integration [hfac = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexa­fluoro­acetyl­ace­ton­ate (1,1,1,5,5,5-hexa­fluoro-4-oxopent-2-en-2-olate) and dme = 1,2-dimethoxyethane]; however, it was not possible to determine the coordination environment unambiguously. The structural data presented here reveal that the complex is a binuclear species located on a crystallographic inversion center. Each Ce^III ion is coordinated to three hfac ligands, one bidentate dme ligand and one monodentate (bridging) dme ligand, thus giving a coordination number of nine (CN = 9) to each Ce^III ion. The atoms of the bridging dme ligand are unequally disordered over two sets of sites. In addition, in two of the –CF₃ groups, the F atoms are rotationally disordered over two sets of sites. This is the first crystal structure of a binuclear lanthanide β-diketonate with a bridging dme ligand.